2011 J. Lohr Gesture Syrah - Sold Out

VINTAGE
2011 paralleled 2010 as the two coolest vintages Paso Robles has posted in a decade. With winter rainfall 50% above normal, we welcomed rapid spring shoot growth prior to flowering in mid- May. Syrah benefits in cooler years in Paso Robles, developing better color and exhibiting more white pepper characteristics. We experimented with a little more oak this vintage, 50% new French oak puncheons from the Demptos and Francois Frères cooperages, and let the wine stay on its yeast lees for a full year before racking and bottling.

VINEYARDS
The grapes for our J. Lohr Gesture Syrah are grown at Terra Bella Vineyard, located within the Adelaida subdistrict of the Paso Robles AVA at an elevation of nearly 1,800 feet. The super steep south-facing Block 6 has lime-shale soils and is planted to Syrah clone 877. Thinned to just one cluster per shoot, this block is prone to rapid sugar accumulation and intense flavor concentration.

TECHNICAL DATA

Appellation:

Paso Robles AVA, San Luis Obispo County, CA

Composition:

99% Syrah, 1% Mourvèdre

Harvest Dates:

October 3, 2011

Harvest Process:

Hand-harvested to half-ton bins, destemmed, and berry sorted on Vaucher Beguet Mistral system